After the funeral ceremony ended, Kaal didn't waste a second—he immediately left. The feeling of another person affecting his emotions was deeply unsettling. Kaal hated that discomfort.
"I need to do something before things get out of hand…" Kaal muttered, his voice laced with anxiety.
He returned to his room, which was protected by an array of formation seals. After taking a deep breath, he sat down and began to organize his thoughts.
'First, the side effect of the Cursed Soul Orb is making my emotions unstable—not a major issue. It can be dealt with by strengthening my soul. But the real problem… is this strange, familiar feeling toward Raven's sister.'
"Strange... Why didn't I feel anything like this toward Elder Alvin, Raven's grandfather? Why only toward Raven's sister, Diviya?" Kaal wondered aloud, puzzled.
He sorted through his thoughts, trying to find a solution.
'The best option is to increase my cultivation. That will help me reinforce my soul and, at the very least, buy me some time. I should also avoid getting close to Diviya.'
Kaal sat in the lotus position and began circulating his Azure Qi through his meridians. The Qi flowed from his left hand to his heart, and then spread throughout his entire body.
With the help of the {Myriad of a Thousand Demon Body} technique, the blockages in his Qi veins began to loosen. Red lines appeared on his skin, and a faint azure mist started to rise from his body. Soon, he felt a refreshing surge of energy coursing through him—his entire body began to change.
Within his consciousness, he once again saw the image of the giant red demon. But this time, the vision was clearer. He could now distinguish the scales on its hands. A set of information about the < Origin core> suddenly flooded his mind. Moments later, he snapped out of the trance and opened his eyes.
"That demon again… There must be some connection between the < Origin core>and that red demon," Kaal murmured as he stood up.
"Huh?" Kaal suddenly realized something odd—his bed looked smaller, or had the room shrunk? Walking over to the mirror, he was stunned by what he saw.
His appearance had completely changed.
It was as if a master artist had painted the perfect man with devilish charm onto a canvas. His entire presence had transformed—even his height had increased. His body was now perfectly proportioned: strong, flexible, and clearly more suited for battle than before.
"It happened… Just as the new information said. These changes are due to the Hell Asura Demon Bloodline I've inherited. I've been officially acknowledged by the Origin Core Soul Treasure. I can now fully understand its abilities," Kaal said, his voice filled with excitement.
The Origin Core granted him three talents:
Perception
Hell Asura Bloodline
Asura Eye
Perception gave him heightened learning capabilities, a Mind Eye to predict opponents' movements, and the ability to detect hidden treasures within his range.
Hell Asura Bloodline gifted him a powerful physique and a sharpened sixth sense, allowing him to instinctively detect danger.
Asura Eye allowed him to see through a person's bloodline, revealing their origins and power.
"In my fight with Lauren… I instinctively used the Mind Eye to read his movements and find his weaknesses," Kaal said, then looked inward at his cultivation level with rare excitement.
"Foundation Realm – First Stage. With the Origin Core and the Myriad of a Thousand Demon Body, I can reach new heights. This is… this is truly a marvelous feeling," he said joyfully.
Outside Kaal's room…
Jane was waiting alongside Mia, both standing in the respectful posture of trained maids.
As she stood there, Jane's thoughts drifted to the past.
Kaal was always someone others couldn't understand. But after being with him for so many years, I can proudly say no one understands him better than I do.
She remembered their first meeting like it was yesterday…
Six years ago, at the age of ten, Jane had been locked inside a cage at a slave market with Mia and several other children. Sold for a few gold coins by her own parents, she had been forced into slavery. Trained either to serve or satisfy the needs of her future master, she had witnessed women take their own lives after being treated as disposable playthings. Those memories haunted her.
Beatings were frequent, whether from the guards or from the so-called mentors who "educated" the girls on how to serve. Her only light in that dark time was a girl just a year younger—Mia—who always helped her when she was hurt.
When their training ended, they were auctioned off—chained like beasts, their limbs shackled, and displayed in cage-prisons.
She could still hear the cries of terrified children begging for help. Mia clutched her hand, trembling. But their pain and fear were nothing but entertainment to the twisted crowd.
Then, just as her life was about to be sold for a few coins, she saw him—her light.
A small boy in a purple robe, with black hair and deep black eyes, walked up to the cage, holding the hand of a beautiful woman in a flowing white robe. Her eyes were deep as water, her beauty almost divine.
"Mom, why are they chained? Did they do something wrong?" the boy had asked.
"No, my darling. They didn't do anything wrong. But in this world… being weak is their only sin," the woman had answered softly.
"Then… Mom, can you set them free? The chains must be hurting them…" the boy said, his voice filled with compassion.
The woman smiled lovingly.
"Oh, my sweet child… Of course. Anything for my little angel," she said, her voice warm.
She tossed a pouch of high-grade spirit stones to the manager, who immediately called the guards. They were freed at once.
Then the boy walked over to Jane, smiling gently.
"Now the chains won't hurt you anymore…" he said.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Kaal exiting his room, his body covered in grime and carrying the stench of purification.
"Jane, Mia—prepare a bath for me," Kaal ordered casually.
"Yes, young master."
"Yes, young master," the two girls replied in unison.
As she followed behind him, Jane looked at his back and thought to herself,
My whole existence is for him—my young master.
A soft smile appeared on her lips.